Who's teaching whom? A study of family education in brain injury

Rehabil Nurs. 2002 Nov-Dec;27(6):209-14. doi: 10.1002/j.2048-7940.2002.tb02015.x.

Abstract

Acquired brain injury affects every aspect of life-cognition, emotional response, physical ability, and behavior. Although the changes affect the person with the brain injury most directly, people who provide care also experience changes. Family members play a critical role in the long-term rehabilitation of a person with a brain injury. The demands involved can deplete the most resourceful of families. Therefore, they must have multiple resources available to them to ensure the best possible outcome for the brain-injured member. A formalized family education program is an important resource in helping family members understand the brain injury and their ability to cope with and assist in the rehabilitation process (Maitz & Sachs, 1995). This article reports a qualitative study that measured the perceptions of 15 families that received an educational program about the care of a person with a brain injury.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain Injuries / rehabilitation*
  • Consumer Behavior
  • Family / psychology*
  • Female
  • Health Education* / methods
  • Health Education* / standards
  • Home Nursing / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Learning
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Professional-Family Relations*
  • Rehabilitation Nursing
  • Southeastern United States
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Teaching / methods*